Fellows interview with Julie Doleman

We are delighted to bring you a Fellows interview with Julie Doleman, former Managing Director at Entain.

The Marketing Society Fellowship is our highest and most prestigious accolade awarded to outstanding marketing leaders who have achieved significant success in the markets they’ve worked in and made an active contribution to The Marketing Society and our industry more broadly.

What is your golden rule?

If you can’t say HELL YES, say no. Oh and drink more water, it cures everything.

Who has been your biggest influence?

My mum. She is a fiercely brave, massively resilient, trailblazer with a wicked sense of humour who positively impacts everyone lucky enough to exist in her orbit. She fought for gay rights throughout the AIDS pandemic while teaching us unconditional love and how to follow our dreams.

What is your most hated business expression?

“It’s not personal, it’s business”. Passion drives emotion and emotions are very personal so when you bring your whole self into your business, it’s difficult to separate the two. As a side note, the ongoing management of my emotions and my personality to my benefit and not my detriment will be on my development plan until the day I die. 

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?

Bringing together a cross functional group of people from inside of the organisation to drive disruptive innovation as part of their day jobs. Running innovation on an island or through an external 3rd party may be easier to resource but the business will be allergic to the outcomes as it wasn’t “made here”.

Which leader do you admire most and why?

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx and Sneex who unapologetically disrupted an antiquated, unfit for purpose industry through tenacity, resilience and an unwavering commitment to her customer.

What keeps you up at night as a marketing leader?

Are we holding ourselves accountable to listening to our customers and meeting their needs/ exceeding their expectations? Are we properly representing their voices in our strategy and tactical execution? Or are we just drinking our own Kool-Aid?

Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?

The Society is a very special and hugely inclusive place to call home. The community is filled with smart, passionate people doing incredible things who generously come together to share their experiences and their expertise. I always come away having learned something new, had my thinking challenged and having been inspired by friends and colleagues both new and old.

Why does marketing matter to you?

Marketing is a powerful promise to a customer and plays an ongoing role in the relationship that the customer has with a brand and its products. All good relationships need to be carefully fostered which is both challenging and highly rewarding.

What does the word impact mean to you when it comes to marketing?

The impact of marketing can be evidenced across the entire business from the way a customer engages with the brand to the way a product or service delivers on a promise.

Tell us something that’s not on your CV

In a previous life I was a bartender at multiple cowboy bars wearing the hat, boots and even the giant buckle. Thankfully it was pre smartphones.

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Published on 5 February 2025